Card punch

ABSTRACT

A PORTABLE DATA CARD PUNCH HAS A LOWER CARD SUPPORT AND PUNCH DIE MEMBER, A SUPERIMPOSED CARD GUIDE AND PUNCH HOUSING MEMBER, AND AN UPPER PUNCH GUIDE MEMBER. A MANUALLY OPERATED FRICTION ROLLER IN THE LOWER MEMBER SERVES TO ADVANCE THE CARD. PUNCHES ARE RESILIENTLY MOUNTED TO EXTEND THROUGH THE HOUSING MEMBER AND THE GUIDE MEMBER. INTERFITTING PLASTIC CAPS ARE SECURED TO THE TOPS OF THE PUNCHES WHEREBY THE PUNCHES MAY BE MANUALLY ACTUATED TO PUNCH SELECTED POSITIONS ON THE DATA CARD.

Nov. 23, 1971 w. WORTHINGTON CARD PUNCH Filed Nov. 24, 1969 IINV ENTOR W/L L IAM WOR TH/NGTO/V nited States Patent 3,621,747 CARD PUNCH William Worthington, 2921 Brook Drive, Falls Church, Va. 22042 Filed Nov. 24, 1969, Ser. No. 879,394 Int. Cl. G06k 1/08 US. Cl. 83-436 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable data card punch has a lower card support and punch die member, a superimposed card guide and punch housing member, and an upper punch guide member. A manually operated friction roller in the lower member serves to advance the card. Punches are resiliently mounted to extend through the housing member and the guide member. Interfitting plastic caps are secured to the tops of the punches whereby the punches may be manually actuated to punch selected positions on the data card.

This invention relates to a card punch and more particularly to a portable card punch.

Prime systems in prior art card punches have included many types of mechanisms to produce holes in IBM Data Processing cards. Some of these prior art devices include large card guides while others have complicated operating mechanism. This invention is directed to a simplified punching and feeding mechanism to produce a compact but accurate device for punching holes into IBM cards for the student or novice. The specific object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for punching holes into IBM cards that is compact and light enough to be carried in a brief case or pocket, with accuracy comparable to standard model keypunch machines, and yet capable of being manufactured at such low cost as to be feasible for sale to individual students or professional users.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

'In the drawings:

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 are, respectively, a side elevation view, a top view, and a front elevation view of the device according to this invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the device according to this invention.

In accordance with this invention and with reference to FIGS. 1-4, a card support and punch die member is shown. The member 10 includes a row of twelve rectangular die holes 11, corresponding to a single column on an IBM card. Mounted in the member 10' is a mechanism for advancing the card being punched. This mechanism consists of a rubber roller 12, mounted in an opening in the card support surface of member 10', with the uppermost portion of the roller disposed in the plane of the card support surface. The roller :12 is fixed to a rod 13 which is journaled for rotation in member 10 and which extends outwardly of the member 10. Fixed on the outwardly extending portion of rod 13 is a knob 14 which provides for easy manual rotation of rod 13 and roller 12 which serves to move and position any card resting thereon.

Secured to member 10 is a card guide and punch housing member 15. The member 15, which includes a row of twelve rectangular guide holes 16 corresponding to and aligned with the twelve die holes 11 in member 10, is grooved (see FIGS. 2 and 4) to the same width and thickness of a data card to form a card guide. The primary purposes of the member 15 are to hold and guide the punch rods .20 for movement into the die holes 11, and to gmide the movement of a data card to be punched.

Each punch rod 20 is provided with a spring 21 to bias the punch to inoperative position. These punch rod and spring assemblies are covered by a sheet metal guide member 212 which is also provided with a column of twelve rectangular punch guide holes which are aligned with the guide holes 16 in member 15. Members 22 and 15 are commonly secured to member 10 as by bolts at each of the corners (see FIG. 4). With the members secured together the punch rods have end portions which extend above member 22.

Aifixed to these extending portions of the punch rods are plastic caps 23. As shown in FIG. 4, these caps have interfitting portions which are secured to the punch rods, and portions which extend in an. alternating manner to opposite sides of the column of punches. This feature permits the necessary close mounting of the punch rods 20, while at the same time providing for easy manual actuation of selected punch rods. Further, this end is achieved without sacrifice of simplicity of manufacture and mechanical operation of the device.

It should now be seen that an improved card punch for student use has been provided. While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

1 claim:

1. A portable card punch having a card supporting base member provided with a column of die holes, manually operable card moving means mounted in said base member to contact a card supported thereon; a punch housing and guide member mounted over said base member and having a column of first punch guide holes aligned with said die holes, and provided with means to guide a card supported on said base member; a guide mounted on said housing and guide member provided with a column of second punch guide holes in alignement with said first punch guide holes; a column of punch rods resiliently mounted in said first and second punch guide holes to extend through said second punch guide holes above said guide and through said first guide holes into proximity with said die holes; a plurality of caps, said caps having interfitting portions aflixed to the ends of said column of punches extending above said guide, and having portions extending alternately to opposite sides of said column of punches, whereby said punches may be easily manually actuated by depressing a cap portion extending to one side of said column of punches to force the associated punch into its associated die hole thereby punching selected data on a card positioned between the punch and die hole.

-2. The portable card punch in claim 1 wherein said manually operable card moving means comprises a rubber roller mounted on a rod which is journaled in said base 3,296,913 member and having one end which extends outwardly 3,250,166 of said base member, and means are affixed to said one 3,459,084 end to provide for manual rotation of said rod.

3. The portable card punch of claim '1 wherein said 5 means to guide a card comprises a groove in said housing and guide member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 1,272,089 7/1918 Powers 83--633 X 1,500,940 7/1924 Howie et al. 83-437 4 1/1967 Dresser 234-131 X 5/1966 Stewart 83633 X 8/1969 Schlafiy 83--633 X FOREIGN PATENTS 6/ 1964 Great Britain 234-131 6/ 1965 Great Britain 234-131 WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

